Corset-fastening



(No Model.)

P. M.;BURNS su N.- C. BARTHOLOMBW. CORSET FASTENING.

' Patented Mar. 8,l `1892.

E# Q s TH: 'wams PETERS cc., dnovwumu., wnmnn'mu, n. c.

NITED i STATES PATENTY OFFICE.

PRISCILLA M. BURNS AND NANCY CASE BARTl-IOLOMEV, OF ST. LOUIS,

i MISSOURI. v

CORSET-FASTENING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 470,541, dated March 8, 1892.

Application tiled September 14, 1891. Serial No. 405,647. (No model.)

.To a/ZZ whom, it may concern: i

Be it known that we, PRISCILLA M. BURNS and NANCY CAsn BARrHoLoI/Inw, both of the city of St. Louis,in the State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Spring-Locked Corset-Fasteners, of which .the following is a f ull,clear, and exact description, reference being -had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification. p

This invention relates to a single-action spring snap-lock that by one movement locks all the fastenin gs of the corset, with .the steels in close connection with each other, allowing no room for play and detachment of the subordinate fastenings; and it consists in features of novelty hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

Figure I is an elevation of a pair of corsetsteels secured by our fastenings and locked by our spring snap-lock. Fig. II is an enlarged detail perspective View and shows one of the fasteners with its locking attachment. Fig. III is an enlarged perspective view of the locking-key. Fig. IV is an enlarged perspective View of one of the catch-slotted, lugs for attachment to one of the corresponding steels. Fig. V is an enlarged Vertical section taken on line V V, Fig. I, and shows'thc catch locked in its slotted lug-seat in full lines, the key being also shown in broken lines in its unlocked position; and Fig. VI is an enlarged detail section View and shows the projecting loutton-catch secured on one steel and the inverted-T-slotted lug attached to the other steel.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the corresponding steels, and 2 the projecting buttons, whose shoulder-collars 8 brace theattachment of said buttons to said steel, which attachment is effected by their rivet-Shanks 4.

5 represents the latching-lugs, which are secured to the corresponding steel to that which carriesthe buttons 2 by rivets 6. The said lug is provided with an inverted-T slot 7, through the base or double-arm end S of which the heads 9 of the buttons 2 enter when the steels are brought into correspondarms of said button-head embrace and hold against the face of the lug-plate.

12 represents a spring-lug, which is secured by rivets 13 to the same steelthat are the latching-lugs 5 back of the upper one of said latching-lugs. The said spring-lug 12 is furnished with duplex spring claw-hooks 14.

7 15 represents a spring locking-key, whose T-foot 16 is grasped by the duplex springhooks 14 of the lug 12, and its concavo-conveX locking-stem is, when the device is fastened, lockseated within the locking portion S of the inverted-T slot.

By the avoidance of the use of spiral and other detachable springs to effect the locking of our corset-fastener we avoid the most fruitful causes of breakages and other damage to said fastener. At the same time the steels themselves and the duplex spring claw-hooks 14 of the lugs 12 without the use of any fragile spring attachment conjointly constitute quick and reliable springs that have no element of weakness inV them and no means of accidental detachment; also, as the correspending edges of the steels are in close contactwith each other, both during and after the process of fastening and locking, therefore when the top fastening is locked thereis no play, as with the ordinary loose fastenings that draw out to their latch, for any of the fastenings to become detached. Thus the locking of one fastening locks the others also.

We have shown and described the one locking device only at the top fastening of the steels, which single lock also locks all the subordinate fastenings; but we do not confine ourselves to a single lock, for there may also be a duplicate lock in connection with the lower fastening and there may be locks to all the intermediate fastenings, if desired but, as stated, the onelock locks all the fastenings, for while one of the fastening-buttons is held from return to the combined entrance and-exit double-arm end 8 of the fasteningslot it is impossible for any of the remaining buttons to become detached.

The operation of connecting and locking our corset-fastenings is-as follows: The spring locking-key 15, in connection with the upper latching-lug 5, is preferably sprung forward, as shown in full lines in Figs. I, II, and V, its

IOO

convex projecting locking bow 1S. being snapped down within the double-arm portion 8 of the inverted-T slot 7. The heads 9 of the projecting buttons 2, that are ranged in a row onthe corresponding steel, are then inserted through the double-arm portion S ot' said slot 7, beginning at the lower one'and working up. When the upper button-head is inserted, it pushes the locking-bow 18 of the spring locking-key 15 out of its way of entering said slot, and then the stem 11 of said button, with that of all the subordinate buttons, slips up into the single-arm end 10 of said slot 7, thereby again releasing the spring locking-key 15, Whose locking-bow 18 automatically drops into and again occupies the double-arm portion 8 of said slot, thereby holding the button from returning into said elongated portion of the slot. As the subordinate buttons have all had to follow suit in their elevation into the single-arm ends 10 of the slots 7, it follows that they also, with the upper one, are retained locked in their seats.

When it is desired to unlock and unfasten the corset, then the spring locking-key 15 is preferably thrown right back open into the position shown in broken lines in Fig. V, so as to remove all possibility of its snapping forward and relooking the button-fastenings. The buttons 2, with the steel that carries them, are then lowered or drop of their own accord into the double-arm ends 8 of the slot 7, from whichithey are readily and may be simultaneously unbuttoned.

We have purposely avoided the practice of drawing the corresponding steels apart to iieir ultimate fastened position,because of the loose play allowed to such attachments that frequently results in the unfastening of some, if not all, of the individual buttons or attachments. Thus the edges of our steel are always close together, both while fastening and when fastened; also, to avoid spiral and other weak spring 'attachments that are liable to breakageand displacement we have utilized the spring of the steels themselves in conjunction with the duplex spring-hooks 14 to command an eccentric spring movement of the locking-key 15, which single key at the time of fastening locks the whole series of buttons in their seats.

We claim as our invention- 1. In a spring-locked corset-fastener, the combination of the steels 1, the projecting buttons 2, the inverted-T-slotted lugs 5, the spring-lug 12, and the spring locking-key 15, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a spring-locked corset-fastener, the combination of the steels, the inverted-T- `slotted lugs 5, secured to one of said steels,

the projecting buttons 2, secured to the corresponding steel, the lug 12, having the duplex spring-hooks 14 secured to the iirstnamed steel, and the spring locking-key 15, having the T-foot 16. that is held within the embrace yof said spring-hooks, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a spring-locked corset-fastener, the combination of the corresponding steels, the projecting buttons 2, having the shouldercollars 3, the stems 1l, and the elongated heads 9,' the said buttons secured to `onc of said steels, the inverted-T-slotted lugs 5, provided with the double-arm insertion portion S of said slot and the single-arm fastening portion 10 thereof, the said lug secured to the other corresponding steel, the lug 12, having the springextension duplex hooks 14, the said lug secured adjacent to one of the lugs 5 to the same steel, the spri'ng locking-key 15, having the T-foot 16, and the locking-bow 18 of said key, the said T-foot of said key embraced wit'hin .said duplex spring-hooks 14v and said Hat T-foot being eccentric-ally exercised-by the spring of the steel that carries it and the spring of the duplex hooks that embrace it to enforce, respectively, the snapping forward of said key and locking-bow and snapping backward to unlock the same, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

PRIscILLA M. BURNS. n NANCY cAsE'BAR'rI- roLoMEw In presenceof- BENJN. A. KNIGHT, E. S. KNIGHT. 

